Unveiled: New Honda City

The fourth-generation Honda City has finally been unveiled today and by the looks of it, the all-new City is more of an evolution of the third-generation model than a revolution.

To be available with both petrol and diesel motors, the new City will be powered by improved versions of the 1.5 i-VTEC petrol and the 1.5 i-DTEC diesel motors. Yes, the addition of a new diesel motor is one of the talking points of this new model. Its the same engine that powers the smaller Amaze sedan, but for the City it will be differently tuned. Like the current model, both engines will be coupled to manual gearboxes with an additional five-speed automatic for the petrol variant on the cards.

Honda says the new City is developed keeping three key aspects in mind; advanced sporty design, best comfort and best fuel efficiency. We wouldn't say the latest model looks radically different from the one it replaces, but it certainly is spacious on the inside. The cabin, however is a different story. The interiors look similar to that of the new Jazz unveiled internationally and that's not a bad thing at all. The cabin design is refreshing and the quality of materials used give it a plush feel.

Bigger and better than before, the new City now has the longest wheelbase in its class and this directly translates into better interior space - legroom, shoulder room and knee room is up by 60mm, 40mm and 70mm respectively. As for the efficiency part, Honda is tight-lipped on the engine specs and final fuel efficiency figures.

The City's toughest competition has been the Hyundai Verna, which always had an upper hand when it came to offering features. It seems Honda has learned its lessons and is putting its best foot forward in order to win back the Indian customer. In terms of features, the new City gets a double-DIN audio system with LCD display, Bluetooth, Aux-in and USB connectivity, eight speakers, cruise control, push-button start, four phone charger points, sunroof and a segment-first in the form of touch-operated automatic aircon controls.

The new City will be the first Honda model in India to adopt its new "Exciting H Design" concept. And surprisingly, India is also the first country where the new City will be manufactured and sold before it reaches to the shores of 60 countries. This proves how important our market is not only for the City but also for the Japanese carmaker.

Prices for the new City are yet to be revealed but with more interior space, added features and a diesel motor on offer, don't expect this Honda to come cheap when it hit showrooms near you by January 2014.